DECENTRALISATION OF THE FUTURE
Like to guess how many hours people worldwide collectively spent just looking at their smartphones in 2021? The answer is a staggering 4 trillion hours. The number is not only awesome but it confirms our reliance and dependence on the Web, heightened more so during the coronavirus pandemic. In both work and play, Web 2.0 and the internet are integral to our everyday lives. The App Annie State of Mobile 2022 Report claims that 7 out of every 10 minutes on our phones is spent on social and photo/video apps. That’s great if you love social media but one question arises – who owns all the data on Web 2.0? Unfortunately, it’s not you but the tech giants such as Meta, Google and YouTube. Matt Biilmann, the CEO of Netlify said:
“The web started out as a decentralized system based on DNS and the ability for anyone to buy, own and manage their own domain name and move it from one host to another as they see fit with full control and ownership over all the underlying data. However, as the web grew up, our online presence has become more and more centralized on corporate platforms. For instance, when someone registers an Instagram handle, they can’t just move that handle with all of their content and followers somewhere else because they’re tied to that network.”
The centralisation and use of our data by corporations, along with cybersecurity threats, data privacy concerns and breaches and system outages have all led to the notion of a new Web that is focused on the decentralisation of data. Out of this, Web 3.0 was born.
DECENTRALISATION AND WEB 3.0
Many believe that Web 1.0 revolutionised access to information and Web 2.0 revolutionised online interaction. By extension, some say that Web 3.0 will revolutionise privacy. At the moment, every time we interact on the Web, copies of parts of our lives are sent to other computers and servers all over the world; in essence, we lose control of our data. The permissionless Web 3.0, constructed around AI, machine learning, cryptocurrency and blockchain technologies, promises to restore control to its former days of glory and trust through decentralisation.
THE BENEFITS
A fundamental benefit of data decentralisation is returning ownership of information to end-users. The decentralised Web 3.0 will use a peer-to-peer network constructed around a community of users. Hosting of websites or applications will utilise each group’s own internet-connected devices as opposed to using high-powered servers. Decentralisation also means that software and data are no longer tied to any specific platforms such as those owned by Google, Amazon, Microsoft or Apple. In the words of Biilmann:
“The promise of Web3 is building new web protocols and infrastructure that should allow developers to build apps where users bring their own data and where identity is no longer tied to any specific platform.”
Moreover, by distributing website content and applications across several devices, the risk of a server crash, DDoS (Distributed-Denial-of-Service), website hacking or authoritarian control is significantly reduced.
BUSINESS TRENDS
Decentralisation is already a major industry trend with a growing number of technology consumers and businesses demanding more control over their data. This means that a large portion of the data that we need to keep business operational will become much more private and stored in blockchain and other types of distributed ledgers. As in the early days of software development, open source will become the name of the game with all stakeholders being able to transparently view, verify, and agree on how application projects operate. Another factor driving enterprise toward decentralisation is the high cost of multiple data processing and storage facilities, exacerbated by the expense of licensing software at many different sites.
DECENTRALISATION IN ZHERO’S FUTURE
As an IT company experiencing tremendous growth, Zhero welcomes the opportunity to take on board Web 3.0 and data decentralisation. Likewise, the immense amount of data travelling through the internet makes decentralisation a must-have for businesses wanting to retain their competitive edge. This is where we can help you crush any IT chaos that you have. Our Protect IT Better offering will guarantee that your transition to Web 3.0 and decentralisation will be seamless and worry-free. Contact Zhero today and find out how we deliver better IT faster by giving you much more control over the data that you own.
